Stainless that performs like carbon ?

kn4wd · Nov 19, 2015

Kershaw skyline, shallot ,leek, blur can be had in 14c28n or the blur in elmax, either would be a fine choice. if you have the money to spend then the 0770cf from zt is an excellent choice for edc. I like the shallot I carried one edc until I finally broke down and bought the 0777cf.as far as ht in the kershaws they have not disappointed me. the china made ones I tend to avoid, they are either good or bad, I sharpen a lot of them. some are ok some are very hard to get the final edge on.

Jamesh Bond · Nov 19, 2015

FWIW, i think the whole china thing really colors perceptions. My Chinese kershaws have completely blew me away. Specially compared to my preset notions from hearing the opposite.

Best "crap steel" out there by my experience.

sodak · Nov 19, 2015

DeadboxHero said:
Edge holding and toughness of carbon but Stainless too?

Sandvik Steels hands down.
Kershaw and Mora are really the only prodution offerings though.
Can't beat the price and ease of Sharpening.

Actually, Buck makes some smaller Vanguard folders in 13C26 also. Very nice steel, and I like the folders also.

HeavyHanded · Nov 19, 2015

Jamesh Bond said:
Cool news. Wish the custom route was even a remote possibility.

But i keep noticing numourous references to it performing well at a higher RC. Is this the range where it becomes similar to carbon, then? Yeah the edge holding would obviously improve, but wont the difference in hardness somewhat cancel out the other desired similarities of toughness and ease of sharpening ? Im a bit confused.

Thx.

At higher RC is where it performs best, whereas carbon will give good output across a wider range. To look at it another way, even something like 1095 will perform very differently from mid 50s compared to 59-60. Even the type of edge finish it holds best will be different.

From what I can tell, Kershaw doesn't go out of the way to run their Sandvik as high as it can go, and it still performs fine, as in very well.

Jamesh Bond · Nov 19, 2015

Coo. Becoming very intrigued by this steel.

Thx.

115Italian · Nov 19, 2015

My leek with sandvik has really impressed me. Also buck vantage with sandvik performs well too.

kn4wd · Nov 20, 2015

if you think the Chinese kershaws are good try the usa made ones. the china made are either 440a or 8cr13mov usa is usually minimum 14c28n or up the 1776 link is the one that come to mind that's 440.115 Italian the leek sandavik is 14c28n.

DeadboxHero · Nov 20, 2015

kn4wd said:
if you think the Chinese kershaws are good try the usa made ones. the china made are either 440a or 8cr13mov usa is usually minimum 14c28n or up the 1776 link is the one that come to mind that's 440.115 Italian the leek sandavik is 14c28n.

Negative, the 1776 link is 420hc
Kershaw has no 440a in the current folder lineup.

marthinus · Nov 20, 2015

Jamesh Bond said:
Cool news. Wish the custom route was even a remote possibility.

Do yourself a favor and just save some more money and have a look at the makers for sale sections here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/753-For-Sale-Folders

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/754-For-Sale-Fixed-Blades

AEB-L knives pop up at good prices and you support a knife maker. You can also look in the exchange area.

Here is one AEB-L knife available.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...amp-T-Paring-Neck-Knife-MOVED?highlight=aeb-l

Rapt_up · Nov 20, 2015

Jamesh Bond said:
Cool news. Wish the custom route was even a remote possibility.

But i keep noticing numourous references to it performing well at a higher RC. Is this the range where it becomes similar to carbon, then? Yeah the edge holding would obviously improve, but wont the difference in hardness somewhat cancel out the other desired similarities of toughness and ease of sharpening ? Im a bit confused.

Thx.

Customs especially in this steel are often very reasonably priced... I have many production folders that cost as much or more than the custom fixed blades I have. Buying them off the exchange from other users I have paid as little as $100 for a handmade knife. So don't automatically rule out such things....

The fine grained uniform nature of the steel with very little carbide content makes them easy to sharpen and very tough at higher hardnesses. This is because carbide is generally what makes a steel hard to grind/sharpen rather than just the hardness of the metal, and the finer the grain the less likely there will be a fracture point started by a carbide grain, especially when the grains often create stress within the matrix. All of this means tough and easy to sharpen.

The increased hardness also means the edge is more stable (won't roll or blunt as easily) so it actually stays sharp longer.

This is why good carbon steel and some special stainless steels are popular choice for knives.

Since my wife and daughter don't understand that non-stainless knives need to be cleaned immediately in the kitchen, I will only buy stainless knives for kitchen use. So AEBL is a popular choice in ours.

samuraistuart · Nov 20, 2015

Before I began making knives and learning about steel/heat treatment....I thought the WORLD of the 13C26 Leek I have. A stainless steel that sharpened up like 1095, and held it's edge on top of it all??? WOW. I was used to 440 type stuff. I have a set of Chicago Cutlery SS steak knives.....I swear they weren't heat treated at all! Same with the little Kuhn Rikon paring knives in our kitchen....they act like dead soft steel.

Once I started making knives, and learned that the 13C26 Leek was only hardened to 58-59, I had to get me a piece of AEB-L (13C26), make a knife, and try it at 62HRC. Holy toledo......what a completely different animal AEB-L is at 62 than at 58!!!! That's probably true about any steel....but I was really blown away by the difference in edge holding. The Leek does sharpen a bit easier, but the 62HRC Santoku I made holds its edge VERY well, and is still extremely easy to sharpen.

I would like to buy a Sea Eagle from Real Steel in 14c28n, but I hold off because I am afraid they harden that steel like Kershaw does....at 58-59...leaving performance on the table. I emailed Real Steel....have yet to hear back from them. I won't buy it unless it's 60-61.

Jamesh Bond · Nov 20, 2015

kn4wd said:
if you think the Chinese kershaws are good try the usa made ones. the china made are either 440a or 8cr13mov usa is usually minimum 14c28n or up the 1776 link is the one that come to mind that's 440.115 Italian the leek sandavik is 14c28n.

I have, and agree. Was just making the point that bias colors perception heavily. Whatever Kershaw is doing to their outsourced steel just blows the equivalent stuff from the other big companies completely out of the water.

Thx everyone.